Ancient Khmer Empire and Modernizations - 1 Day

Detailed Itinerary

We will take you at your hotel at 8:00 am and drive 50 km north of the main group of temples, through the countryside, to reach The Angkor Center for Conservation Biodiversity, at the foot of Mount Kbal Spean. This association started operations in 1991 to help curb the illegal wildlife trade as well as provide a place where confiscated animals are cared for and protected from poachers. For visitors, the Center provides a changing exhibition, showing such exhibits as confiscated animals, and a trail giving visitors insights into local environmental problems and possible solutions. The centre also initiated a bee keeping program and you will learn different sustainable methods taught for keeping native bees and harvesting the honey and wax. Then, we will visit Phnom Kbal Spean. After a 30 mins walk in the forest, we will arrive at Sahasralina, the River of a Thousand Lingas. The remarkable 11th-century riverbed rock carvings display a gallery of gods and celestial beings including Vishnu reclining on the serpent Anata, Shiva, Brahma, Lakshmi, Rama and Hanuman.

We will have lunch at Borey Sovann Kbal Spean, a nice restaurant set at the base of jungled mountains opposite the entrance to Phnom Kbal Spean. After lunch, we will drive to the magnificent Banteay Srei temple – the Citadel of women. This Hindu temple, dating back to the 10th century, has three central towers each decorated with superbly intricate reliefs of male and female divinities, carved from pink sandstone contrasting with the main walls made of laterite. While many of Angkor temples are impressive because of their sheer size, Banteay Srei stands out by the quality of craftsmanship. On the way back, we will stop at the Cambodian Landmine museum and Rehabilitation Centre which promotes mine awareness and education for both tourists and Cambodian people. The museum display a large collection of guns, rifles, rockets launchers, pistols, mortars, grenades, CS gas canisters, bombs, bullets and a 225kg bomb from a US warplane, all recovered from Cambodia countryside. Mr. Aki Ra, the founder of the museum, worked as a de-miner when he decided to exhibit his collection of shell casings and decommissioned mines in 1998. Today, the museum serves also as a rescue center for a number of landmine amputee children that Aki Ra had brought off Phnom Penh’s streets or from extremely impoverished rural communities. In addition of the exhibition building, the museum includes a school and dormitories for amputee children and staff.

Then we will visit Banteay Samre, one of the most complete complex at Angkor, restored with the method of the anastylosis. Built under the reign of Suryavarman II during the mid 12th century, its unique feature is the interior moat covered with a laterite paving. Not very touristic, you should appreciate its peaceful atmosphere. At the end of the afternoon, we will bring you back at your hotel. Today Lunch included.

Price & Inclusions

This is a private tour and the price per person varies and depends on many aspects, such as your group size, the hotel ratings and your departure date. If you want to get a tailor made price quote for this tour, please fill out the online tour inquiry form and give us as much information as possible about your trip. Our online travel experts will be at your service.

Tour Includes